Series multiple switch.



H. R. SARGENT.

SERIES MULTIPLE SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1911.

Patented May 27, 1913.

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Inventor:

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H. R. SARGENT'.

SERIES MULTIPLE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1911.

1 62,801 Patented May 27,1913.

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PATENT @F'FIQE.

HOWARD SARGENT, 0F SCI-IENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A COEPUBATION OF NEW YORK.

SERIESMULTIPLE SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD R. SARGENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Series Multiple Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches for controllingelectric circuits and especially those carrying currents of considerable voltage for the purpose of energizing heating appliances. It is desirable to be able to vary the current impressed upon a heating device in orderto vary theheating effect. By using a divided heating unit and a proper switch, the several portions of said unit can be connected in series or in multiple or some portions-or portion can be cut out or shuntcircuited, so-that-t-he amount of current consumed and the resulting heating efiect can l e considerably varied.

The present invention relates to a switch for accomplishing thisresult and its object is to afiord a double break in the circuit when it is opened, as thus the apparatus will be'guarded more effectively against an accidental short-circnit and the translating devices will be entirely detached from the line when the switch is open .and whenever a change is made in the circuit connect-ions.

In two prior patents of mine, Nos. 769,638 and 887,527, I have shown switches capable of connecting up electric translating devices in series, in multiple and with one or more shunt-circuited, and the present invention somewhat resembles these switches. I have, however, added an extra switch blade, which acts-to make and break the circuit at one pole of the switch; one or more of the other switch blades effecting the other break or breaks in the circuit.

In=the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a;plan view of my improved series-multi: ple switch; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic rep? resentation of the blades and contacts at right angles to Fig. 2; and Figs. 1 to 7 are diagrams of the four positions of the switch, andthe resulting circuits.

I have illustrated the application of-the invention to a heating device having a resistance coil divided into two portions; but it is evident that I am not necessarily limitedto a translating device of that charac- Specification of Letters l' atent.

Application filed August 16, 1911.

Patented May 2'2, 1913.

Serial No. 644,409.

ter or one having no other than two portions. For the purposes of this specification, however, let it be assumed that the switch is used to control a car heater having two substantially equal resistance coils The switch comprises a base 1 of insulating material such as molded porcelain. At equal angular distances from each other around a central rotatable spindle 2 are four contact posts 3, 4, 5, 6. The posts numbered 3 and 5 have each but a single contact plate or segment 7, 8, lying in the same plane of revolution about the spindle 2. The post 4 has two Segments, one of which, 9, is in the same plane of revolution .as the segments 7, 8. The other segment lO on the post 4 is at a lower level than the segment 9, being in the same plane of revolution as the segment 11 on the post 6. Below the segment 11 is another segment 12 on the post 6; while a single segment 13 extends from the terminal plate 14 beneath the segment 12, but at a little distance therefrom. A binding screw 15 on the plate 14 forms one line terminal, the other being a binding screw 16 on the post 3.

The spindle 2 carries a plurality of switch blades suitably insulated from said spindle and from each other. In the switch illustrated there are three superposed blades, the upper one having four radial arms at right angles with each other, two of said arms, 17, 18, being longer than the other two, 19, 20, and standing at right angles to each other. The middle blade has two diametrically opposite arms, 21, 22, the former being'longer than the other. The lowest blade has three arms 23, 24, 25 at right angles to each other and all of the same length. The arms 17, 22, 23 are in the same vertical plane, and so are'their opposites 19, 21, 24:. The arms 20 and 25 are superposed. Each arm of the upper and middle blades is-composed of twomesilient laminae pressing against each other at the ends, so that they will be forced to straddle the segments and thus afford a good electrical contact. The upper blade rotates in the plane of the segments 7,18, The longer arms, 17, 18, make contact with all three of these segments. The shorter arms, 19, 20, can close on segment 7 only, which projects radially inward to a greater extent than the segments 8, 9. The arm 22 of the middle blade can close only on the segment 11; the segment 10 being radially shorter so that only the arm 21 makes contact therewith; said arm 21 also being capable of making contact, of course, with segment 11. All three of the arms of the lowest blade are composed of two lamina biased apart by their resilience so that they will be closed toward each other when they pass in between the segments 12, 13, these arms being all of the same length. The effect is to connect saidsegme nts electrically and thus establish connections between the line binding screw 15 and the contact post 6, in three of the four positions of the switch.

The spindle 2 is provided with a snap-action release and detent of any approved construction permitting an angular movement of ninety degrees at each actuation by the but-ton 26. The heating coil A or other translating device is connected between the segments 8, 11, and the other coil B is con nected between the segments 8, 9. The

switch is provided with the usual cover 27,-

and indicating disk 28.

The operation is as follows Fig. 4 shows the'swit-ch open. The line at 13 is not connected with the segment 12, and, while the arm 17 of the upper blade rests on the segment- 7, yet both the shorter arms of this blade are out of contact with the segments adjacent to them, and the other long arm hangs in mid air above the segment 11, so that this side of the line also is broken and the heatin coils are entirely discpnnected from the dine. On giving the spindle a quarter turn in a clockwise direction, the blades assume the position shown in Fig. 5. The arm 23 of'the lowest blade has closed the line connection at 12, 13. The middle blade has closed on segments 10, 11 and connected post 4 with post 6. Anns 18, 20 'of the upper blade have made contact with segments 8, 7 respectively, connecting post 5 to line 16. The current entering at 15 will therefore divide through the two heating coils A, B, which are thus connected in multiple. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 show the next position of the switch, from which, upontracing the circuits, it will be seen that coil B is shunt-circuited'by the arms 17, 19, connecting the-segments 8, 7 so that practically all the current flows through the coil A only. In Fig. I the two coils are in series, the segment 8. being out 01. contact with the short arm 20 of the upper blade. These three positions shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '3 provide for three separate heats of increasing strength, so that the desired effect can be obtained readily.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent t e best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the appa Loeaeoi ratus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

"What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1..,A series-multiple switch comprising a central spindle, four stationary posts provided withcontact segments, located in different planes, three in one plane, two in another and one in a third plane, certain contact'segments in the first two planes being at greater distance from the spindle than others in said planes, and three insulated blades on said spindle located respectively in said planes and coijperating with said segments, the upper and middle blades each having arms of difl'erent lengths.

2. A series-multiple switch comprising a central spindle, three superposed blades thereon, the upper one havmg four arms at right angles, two arms being longer than the others, the middle blade having two opposite arms of different lengths, the lowest blade. having three equal arms at right angles; four stationary posts carrying contact segments in the planes of said blades, certain of said segments being positioned nearer the central spindle than others, and a'single segment connected with one side of the line and with which the lowest blade coangles, four stationary posts positioned 90 apart, contact segments on three of said posts in the plane of the upper arm, the segment on the first of said posts extending radially inward more than the others, a segment on the second post in the plane of the middle blade, a longer segment on the opposite or fourth post to codperate with said middle blade, a lower segment on said fourth post cooperating with the lowest blade, and a segment below said lower segment, cooperating with said lowest blade, but normally disconnected from said fourth post and carrying one of the line terminals.

4. A series-multiple switch comprising four posts, provided with contact segments on three different planes, certain of said segments being disposed nearer the spindle than others and a spindle carrying three in-v sulated blades, a middle one having diametrically opposite long and short arms, an ppe o a ng a long arm reg s with the short arm of the middle blade, 9;

short arm registering with the long arm thereof and a long arm and a short arm at right angles thereto, and the third or lowest blade having two equal arms opposite to each other and registering with the long and short arms of the middle blade and an intermediate arm of the same length as the others, and at right angles thereto, and registering with the other short arm of the upper blade.

- 5. In a rotary switch having three operative and one ofi positions, the combination with a rotary shaft of wire connectors for both poles of a supply circuit, a common pole and two single poles of two branch circuits, and three sets of stationary contacts and switch blades arranged in different planes, the first set of contacts being connected to a supply circuit connector and to one of the single pole branch circuit connectors and the'blade of the set arranged to connect said contacts in each of three switch positions, the second set of contacts being connected to both of the single branch circuit connectors and unequally spaced from the shaft and the blade of the set having two arms of unequal length to connect said contacts in one switch position, and the third set of contacts being connected to the common pole connector, to a single branch circuit connector and to the other supply circuit connector, the lattercontact being spaced a different distance from the shaft relatively to the other two and the blade of the set having two long arms and two short arms to connect at least two contacts in each of three positions of the switch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set myhand this 15th day of August, 1911.

HOWARD R. SARGENT.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. 

